My Own Story
by Gwynn
Summary: Yamamoto Surime is an average teen who can see spirits, but has no idea how to use her talent until she befriends fellow classmate Kurosaki Ichigo. Contains some violence, sensuality, mature themes, and strong language. Not OC/Ichigo, different OC pairing
1. Prologue: All the Same

**Title: My Own Story**

_**Don't watch, don't seize the lost butterfly**_

_**Go past the precious things, go past the important things**_

_**Break and destroy the key to my heart**_

_**I continue to search for my own story until the blindfold that conceals my fate is removed**_

_**I'll pierce through these clouds with my wings and go to the distant tomorrow...**_

_**- Nana Mizuki, "Meikyuu Batafurai"**_

**Author's Note:** Well, I'm a new author to the anime world. I've watched the _Bleach_ anime religiously and am up-to-date on the episodes, including the ones that are only English subbed. Unfortunately, I have not done as much exploring with the _Bleach _manga, but I do want as much perspective as possible in order to make this story more accurate and enjoyable, so I have started reading it. As you read this story, please remember that I created Yamamoto Surmire not as a Mary Sue, nor as a shipper to get Ichigo shacked up with someone. Sure, I have a pairing in mind, but I'm not revealing anything because I want it to be a surprise. In conclusion, I just wanted to have fun with developing a strong female lead character with her own story to tell.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Bleach_. 'Nuff said.

**Prologue: All the Same**

_**Great spirits of all who lived before**_

_**Take our hands and lead us**_

_**Fill our hearts and souls with all you know**_

_**Show us that in your eyes we are all the same...**_

_**- Tina Turner, "Great Spirits"**_

Memories are a funny thing, especially if you actually want to go back and relive them through the medium of storytelling like I am now. The major focal point of my life? Yurei **[yurei=ghost(s)]**. Name? Yamamoto Surime. Place of residence? Karakura Town, Japan.

Yes, I am one of those rare people who can see the definite proof that life continues past death. When I was younger, I mistook yurei as fun imaginary friends. Obviously, my early formative years didn't include much in the way of popularity, although I could never quite shake my oddball reputation in the first place. Once people have made up their minds about you, it's very hard to rid them of their first impression of you. As a result, I pretty much kept to myself and only extended limited offers of friendship. Even then, those I considered a friend were not made privy to my secret. Not that my damage control efforts matter much anyway. How could anyone suspect me of possessing my particular ability when my retiring, brooding nature could be conveniently attributed to the label "social misfit"?

There was another reason for my self-imposed isolation besides hiding an essential part of my personality that no one else seemed to share with me. It was the toll this power was taking on me. Every day, I would witness the helplessness of the yurei's situation. Since, as I already pointed out, the number of living humans with my same power are extremely low, the yurei were in even greater isolation than I. With deep shame, I admit that I very rarely engaged those lonely, lost yurei to give them the kindly interaction they so desperately needed. Still...I was no expert in psychology. What good could I really do in the end?

Sometimes, the same abandoned yurei I'd constantly catch a glimpse of would inexplicably vanish. Presumably, they had been dispatched to the proper afterlife world based on his or her karma in life, but who facilitated the process? Once or twice, I witnessed what I thought might be the answer to my musings: powerful, humanlike kami **[kami=god(s)]** whose outfits consisted of a white shitagi, a black kosode, a black hakama, a white hakama-himo, white tabi, and waraji. In other words, these kami's getup were quite old-fashioned in comparison to the modern clothes most recently deceased yurei wore, making the kami stand out very plainly. Most striking of all were the katanas the kami wore tied to their obi sash. With these katanas, they engaged in either one of two activities: 1) using the hilt of their katana to tap the forehead of a yurei, who suddenly disappears in a flash of light with nothing left except for a strange black butterfly fluttering away; 2) fighting huge, grotesque, multicolored, and multlimbed yokai **[yokai=monster spirit(s)]** that had a hole in their chests and a white, skulllike mask on their faces. I was deathly afraid of these yokai and the overwhelming evilness emanating from their forms, so I was always grateful for the kami who split the yokai's head and mask in two with their katanas, instantly dissolving the yokai's bodies into oblivion, or perhaps, to the afterlife. Surely there had to be some sort of good in them before they transformed into yokai.

Life continued on for me in this manner until I reached my fifteenth year and was attending Karakuro High School. One day, I was walking home when I rounded a corner and happened upon an unexpected scene. Kurosaki Ichigo-san, a fellow classmate of mine that was merely an acquaintance, delivered a swift kick into the face of a twenty something guy dressed in the typical punk skater style. Four stunned, similarly attired companions holding their own skateboards flanked the unfortunate young man as he promptly crumpled in a heap to the ground next to his overturned skateboard.

This sound defeat was too much for one of the loser's friends: "What the...? You suddenly appear and kick over Yama-rin, plus you want us to get out of here? What are you thinking? You wanna die? Huh?"

Kurosaki-san merely scratched his spiky orange head nonchalantly and stared blankly at the new challenger. In that moment filled with such tense silence, I focused solely on Kurosaki-san's unusual hair color, something so punkish in of its own right. Was orange his real hair color, or had he bleached his originally black hair on purpose and thus changed the color to orange, not blond as would normally be expected?

"Say something, you..." the short-fused contender cried out in frustration while simultaneously rushing forward, obviously hoping to use his bulky frame to knock down the smaller, wiry Kurosaki-san.

I couldn't believe what happened next. Kurosaki-san's blank expression turned to a bored scowl as he extended a single leg again and flattened the charging idiot with a kick of the same strength and speed he had administered to Yama-rin.

The three remaining skaters completely freaked out.

"AAH! Toshi-rin's down!"

"Don't know what's going on, but this is dangerous. I've never seen such irrational violence."

"If we fight him, we'll be killed for sure!"

Apparently, Kurosaki-san had quickly tired of their pointless chatter because he forcefully bellowed, "Shut up already! All you guys look over there!"

My classmate savagely twisted his body behind him and pointed to an area beside a telephone pole where a glass vase laid on its side, leaking water onto the flowers that had been placed inside the vase. I was opposite the fallen container, thereby compelling me to hug my body closer to the building concealing me from view of everyone. A few tears cascaded down my cheeks. This yurei was one of the few I'd befriended due to the fact that I'd known Hanako-chan before she'd met her untimely end in a tragic card accident a week or so ago. I'd already placed flowers there once before, but I had no idea who'd supplied the current ruined offering. Could it have been Kurosaki-san? Why? Did he know her, too?

"Question one! What the hell can that be? You there, in the middle, answer me!"

Though jittery down to his very core, the middle guy of the remaining trio could not refuse to placate a fiery master like Kurosaki-san. "Um...an offering to the kid who died here recently..."

"Correct!" Kurosaki-san yelled, performing a surprise reverse roundhouse kick on the terrified respondent, who dropped like a sack of potatoes.

"Mit-rin!"

Locked in the final crouching position of his reverse roundhouse kick, Kurosaki-san glared up at the pair left standing to demand, "Question two! Why is the vase knocked over?"

"Th...that's because we knocked it over skateboarding..."

This feeble explanation by one daring skater was cut off as the both remaining skaters went flying to the ground with each receiving a devastating kick to the abdomen. "Right again! You pull off something like this again, and people will be offering _you_ flowers!"

At that threat, all fiver skaters practically sprinted away, shouting, "Sorry!"

Kurosaki-san simply stood there, arms crossed, dark brown eyes carefully watching his antagonists' escape. "I don't think they'll be back again," he announced softly, his sharp-featured face relaxing. Somehow, I knew he'd meant to direct his statement toward Hanako-chan. He turned around to face the telephone pole, where Hanako-chan's small form had been hiding. Naturally, I already knew it was her favorite place to retreat to. "I'll bring you fresh flowers tomorrow."

"This is incredible," I whispered, still in astonishment that Kurosaki-san could also see the young green-eyed, redheaded yurei in pig-tails, shorts, and pink-striped tank top.

"Thank you for getting rid of them. Now I can rest peacefully, onii-san."

My heart ached at witnessing Hanako-chan flash another person the same exact joyful and infectious grin she'd also bestowed on me when I'd given her my offering of flowers. God, it must've been a sign that I was acutely feeling the paradigm shift in my world which had just transpired. Should I show myself and let Kurosaki-san know I shared his gift? After all, I'd always longed for a comrade in arms. Within seconds, my innermost self knew I would strive to win Kurosaki-san over at any cost. He'd taught me something valuable today: one can reach out to yukei with nothing more than pure heart and respect of the common experience of life lived. Unfortunately, luck was not on my side that day. Clumsiness robbed me of my chance to make a graceful entrance. I slipped on something, launching me to an awkward spill on the ground where I was in plain sight of Hanako-chan and Kurosaki-san.

My classmate's eyes widened in amazement. "Yamamoto-san!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I know, onii-san! Sumire-chan is here to see me again!" Hanako declared blissfully, her smile widening even more, if such a thing were possible.

As Kurosaki-san did a suspious double-take toward me, I knew my life was about to change with whatever he next said.

**Author's Note:** Please tell me what you think of this chapter. Constructive criticism is welcome, but I kindly ask for no flames please!


	2. Chapter One: A Question Mark

**Title: My Own Story**

_**Don't watch, don't seize the lost butterfly**_

_**Go past the precious things, go past the important things**_

_**Break and destroy the key to my heart**_

_**I continue to search for my own story until the blindfold that conceals my fate is removed**_

_**I'll pierce through these clouds with my wings and go to the distant tomorrow...**_

_**- Nana Mizuki, "Meikyuu Batafurai"**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Bleach_. 'Nuff said.

**Chapter One: A Question Mark**

_**And the shadows that you cast so tall on the wall of possibility**_

_**Grow closer to infinity with every word that goes unsaid**_

_**Cause you could build your house of gold if you could only find a place to start**_

_**But for now there's just a question mark hanging on your head...**_

_**- Craigs Brother, "Potential"**_

"Yamamoto-san, I'm quite surprised you and I have something in common," Kurosaki-san remarked insouciantly after his intense study of me was complete.

"Likewise, Kurosaki-san," I agreed in an even tone, our eyes locked together, both of us wondering just how much the other knew about yurei. Evidently, the casualness infused into the statements that Kurosaki-san and I exchanged did not belie the importance of the meaning behind the words: I had finally found someone who truly understood the dominant force controlling my perspective on life.

"You took a nasty spill there. Are you alright?" Kurosaki-san asked. He stepped forward to stretch his hand out to me, though I would hardly call the gesture particularly solicitous, given the duty-bound nature of our relationship as fellow classmates.

"Yes, I'm fine, Kurosaki-san," I replied as I lifted myself up with Kurosaki-san's assistance.

Hanako-chan frowned thoughtfully as soon as Kurosaki-san released his hand from mine. "Sumire-chan, don't you and onii-san go to school together? I know you've told me about him before, so I thought you were friends, and that's why I started talking to him in the first place. How come you're so polite with him now?"

In that moment, I should've known the careless, uninhibited eight-year-old Hanako-chan would speak language filled with such suggestive implications. I mightily resisted the urge to blush hotly. Kurosaki-san only looked away and pretended not to catch my embarrassed reaction.

"Well, Hanako-chan, of course I've mentioned each of my classmates to you. It doesn't mean I'm automatically on intimate terms with all of them. In fact, I've never had enough of a reason to be better acquainted with Kurosaki-san until now," I quickly intervened in a neutral tone. I took the liberty of offering a small smile in Kurosaki's-san's direction. "Thank you for taking care of my little itoko **[itoko=cousin]**, Kurosaki-san. For Hanako-chan's sake, I suppose Kurosaki-kun and Yamamoto-kun would be more appropriate from this time forward, don't you think?"

My classmate simply shrugged in accordance with my suggestion. "Yamamoto-kun? Please. Can't we just go with Yamamoto? Anyway, I don't see what the big deal is. I only gave Hanako some flowers."

"It _is_ a big deal!" Hanako-chan cried impetuously, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. "Practically no one can see me anymore, so I was really lonely at first after I died. Now I have not only Sumire-chan to notice me, but you, too, onii-san. You even protected me from those meanies who knocked over my flowers!"

Kurosaki-kun was clearly taken aback, and although I felt sorry for him bearing the brunt of Hanako-chan's passionate outburst, I was secretly glad the girl had exposed his want of delicacy. He couldn't have possibly expected a sensitive, lonesome child to understand his offhanded way of accepting thanks. Luckily, even if belatedly, Kurosaki-kun seemed to comprehend how he must next act. He promptly kneeled next to Hanako-chan and patted her head, smiling warmly.

"Sorry, Hanako. I didn't mean to upset you," he apologized to her amiably.

"No, it's okay," Hanako-chan reassured my classmate, though it was plain to discern the eternal sunniness of her nature taking command of her face again as a result of Kurosaki-kun's genuine show of remorse. She wiped her away her tears, flashing him a brilliant grin. In return, Kurosaki-kun's brown eyes, which had always contained a guarded, edgy quality to them, miraculously mellowed into a golden hazel color suggestive of finding true satisfaction in his good deed of the day. This transformation conveyed to me the vast depths of his largely instinctual personality. Who knew what else he could achieve if he were to hone his charismatic ways?

A lot, as I was to find out in due time.

& & &

After leaving a cheerful Hanako-chan behind, Kurosaki-kun suggested something startling: "You live just down the street from me, right, Yamamoto? We might as well walk home together."

Once more, I was close to the brink of reddening. No, I've never had a crush on Kurosaki-san before, nor did I suddenly acquire one now. Simply put, I was a complete wallflower alone with a boy I hardly knew. A boy who shared a secret with me that could facilitate the process of getting very personal very quickly. Then again, remembering my earlier resolve to gain a yurei comrade-in-arms, I was acutely aware of the fact I could not refuse Kurosaki-kun's proposal.

My classmate didn't waste time in beginning a game of Twenty Questions with me as we covered the short walk to our respective homes. "So, how long have you been able to see yurei?"

"Ever since I could remember. Was it the same way for you?"

He nodded in the affirmative. "One of my sisters can see them, too."

"Really?" I echoed in surprise. "I'm an only child. I never knew my parents or anyone else in my family to be able to see yurei. You're the first person I've ever met who shares my ability."

Now it was Kurosaki-kun's turn to be surprised. "Huh, I always thought seeing yurei ran in families."

Kurosaki-kun's remark caused me to marvel even more at the singularity of my talent. For the millionth time, I wondered what the purpose of my power was.

Because of the thoughtfulness underlying my current musings, I dared to inquire of Kurosaki-kun: "Do you...enjoy your ability to see yurei?"

"What are you talking about?" Kurosaki-kun answered with a confused frown.

Although his reaction flustered my already uncomfortable self, I did not step down. Rather, I sought to clarify the meaning behind my initial question. "I mean...do you always reach out to yurei like you did Hanako-chan today?"

"Didn't you hear Hanako earlier? She initiated the whole deal between us. I was just returning her a favor. That's my policy for every yurei. I try not to get involved too much or else I'd go...I guess the right word would be 'crazy'."

His words hit my mind like a sack of bricks as I nodded, at last seizing a chance to hazard a glance in Kurosaki-kun's uncharacteristically introspective face. "I...understand, Kurosaki-kun," I commiserated in a very low voice, not stopping to transform my statement into some dramatic production. Apparently, I could never undertake that degrading task.

He graciously reciprocated me by nodding his agreement back at me and even further honored me by also not halting our seemingly leisurely walk with his gesture. In the distance, I espied my brightly lighted house in the distance. I longed for the safety of my home the instance I was able to spot it.

"Thank you for seeing me safely home, Kurosaki-kun. I'll see you in school tomorrow, okay?" I shouted at Kurosaki-saki as I retreated, grateful that my objective of securing Kuroksaki-kun as a comrade had been accomplished.


	3. Chapter Two: Something of Worth

**Title: My Own Story**

_**Don't watch, don't seize the lost butterfly**_

_**Go past the precious things, go past the important things**_

_**Break and destroy the key to my heart**_

_**I continue to search for my own story until the blindfold that conceals my fate is removed**_

_**I'll pierce through these clouds with my wings and go to the distant tomorrow...**_

_**- Nana Mizuki, "Meikyuu Batafurai"**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Bleach_. 'Nuff said.

**Chapter Two: Something of Worth**

_**Everyday is the same**_

_**When looking straight ahead**_

_**Caught in the safety of routine**_

_**I lose myself again**_

_**And if only for a moment do I truly feel this way,**_

_**Then suddenly it all becomes something of worth to me...**_

_**Name Taken, "Safety of Routine"**_

Cautiously, I opened the door to my home. Within seconds, the suspense causing me to hold my breath quickly ended with the confirmation of a sight quite common to me: a pair of leather, compact suitcases resting side by side on the foyer floor.

"Is that you, Sumire-san?" a rich, commanding sounding voice called out from another room.

"Yes, Otou-sama **[otou-sama=father]**," I replied in kind, pausing at the door to free my feet of my red ballerina flats and slip them into the white house shoes waiting for me.

In the time it took for me to set down my brown satchel against the foyer's wall, Otou-sama materialized in the doorway to our kitchen. Though a man of small stature and slender in build, Otou-sama was not to be underestimated. Evidence of this conviction could be found in the deep bow I issued in his direction.

"Welcome home, Ojo-san **[ojo-san=daughter]**," Oto-sama greeted me with as much formality I had shown him.

"How long will you be away from home?" I immediately asked, nodding toward the suitcases.

"About three days or so," he estimated, his bespectacled dark eyes subtly exhibiting the anticipation he felt, and ran a hand through his short black hair that held a hint of gray in it.

My parents, both high-powered executives for the same corporation, frequently took off on business trips, and this evening was no exception. In fact, the only reason why my house had been brightly lit up at all was due to the fact that my parents were gearing up to leave. Sure, if any reader believes the set-up of my family was rather lonely, then I readily agree with him or her. Remember, though, how I have already revealed my preference for quiet solitude with minimal outside distractions.

Okaa-sama **[okaa-sama=mother]** appeared next to Otou-sama in the next moment, a roll in her hand. She was the complete opposite of Otou-sama: tall, attractively plump, with flaming red hair styled neatly in a bob, and unusual deep violet eyes. Obviously, my mother was not a native of Japan. She was originally from the United States, though she spent her college years here as an exchange student and resolved to stay in Japan by the time she graduated. Okaa-sama successfully undertook the long, involved process of becoming a citizen. Eventually, she and my father married when they were in their early twenties and had a sole child, me, a few years after that point. Meanwhile, they both built powerful careers in the cutthroat corporate world.

"Just to let you know, Sumire-san, your aunt Cara-san will be checking on you tomorrow afternoon," Okaa-sama informed me with a sad smile.

Oba-sama **[oba-sama=aunt] **had later joined her sister in Japan to work in a administrative capacity with the same corporation that my parents worked in. Several years after that auspicious moment, she had my cousin Hanako-chan, who had recently passed on in a nasty car accident that left my aunt with a sprained arm and lots of stitches. It had only been a couple of days since Hanako-chan's funeral, causing Oba-sama had decided to stay away for some much needed alone time. Tomorrow would be the first occasion in which I would be seeing Oba-sama again and having knowledge that I was visiting her yurei daughter. I had no idea how I would act around her because of that fact. Other than my parents, Oba-sama was my only family left in the world at present, thus making her very important to me. Should I let her in on my secret now that I already told a stranger like Kurosaki-kun?

& & &

That night, I had the strangest dream. In time, I would learn the significance of this soon to be reoccurring dream. For the moment, though, it swift onset after my eyes had closed in slumber greatly confused me. A slim young woman in a thigh-length purple kimono tied around the waist with a pink obi stood in my line of vision. Her black hair fell down her back and was tied back at the sides with a butterfly-shaped clip, long bangs falling into her deep violet eyes, shimmering purple wrap draped loosely around her slender shoulders. The woman focused her eyes intently in my direction, waving her hands gracefully in the air in front of her. A tunnel of purple light materialized from her hands, violet butterflies fluttering about in the tunnel's space.

"Sumire," the figure intoned emotionlessly, every syllable of my name infused with the order to fall on my knees at her feet.

"Who...are you?" I stammered, staring up wide-eyed at the overwhelming stranger before me.

She smiled, although there was very little warmth in the gesture. I quickly surmised graveness to be the dominant theme of her personality. "Good question to ask me, Sumire. You see, if you wish to harness my strength in the troubling times ahead, you must learn my name."

What are you talking about?" I whispered, profoundly disturbed and mightily resisting the urge to back away from this peculiar creature.

"You shall not receive any more information from me until you learn my name," she refused, her face so firm and marblelike that it could have been made of stone. Suddenly, the woman disappeared from view as a shroud of darkness covered her form...


	4. Chapter Three: What I Can See Now

**Title: My Own Story**

_**Don't watch, don't seize the lost butterfly**_

_**Go past the precious things, go past the important things**_

_**Break and destroy the key to my heart**_

_**I continue to search for my own story until the blindfold that conceals my fate is removed**_

_**I'll pierce through these clouds with my wings and go to the distant tomorrow...**_

_**Nana Mizuki, "Meikyuu Batafurai"**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Bleach_. 'Nuff said.

**Chapter Three: What I Can See Now**

_**I'm facing a trauma, it's crawling inside **_

_**Don't walk that line, don't take that ride **_

_**Conclusions will show me the sweetest pain **_

_**Don't walk that line, don't take that ride**_

_**What I can see now, I don't want anyone else to see **_

_**It doesn't matter somehow, what it does to me**_

_**Soilwork, "Fate in Motion"**_

Before I knew it, morning had arrived. However, the morning preparations did not include the usual crazy, mixed-up antics of a normal cramped Japanese family getting ready for the day. No, I was alone.

After getting out of the shower and dressing in my school uniform, I ambled to the full-length mirror to check for any last minute adjustments to my appearance. Staring back at me was the reflection of a slight-framed girl with long, wavy raven hair flowing past her shoulders and flashing violet eyes. Her outfit consisted of a gray pleated, mid-thigh length skirt, gray zip up jacket with red trimming on the pockets and zipper lining, starched white shirt underneath the jacket, a perfectly tied, pristine bow decorated with a golden pin tied around the neck, white knee high socks, and red ballerina flats. Good, all was in its proper position. Call me vain if the reader will, but I had always liked to project a picture of neatness, and yes, I had worn the same look yesterday for my encounter with Kurosaki-kun.

Grabbing my brown school satchel lying near the front door, I hurried out into the early morning sun. The month was May, and like most other Mays in a Tokyo suburb, nature was a thing of marvelous beauty: birds singing loudly and sweetly, bright, warming sunshine streaming through the thick foliage of the trees, thickets of blooming flowers of all shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, the throngs of commuters failed to take in this resplendent glory as I carefully thought to do so before being confined in the stuffy classrooms of Karakura High School.

Impulsively, I decided to pass by Hanako-chan's usual lightpost, where I noticed a small adjacent side street sectioned off by the police. Venturing closer to the forbidden zone, I noted that most of the damage to the tiny shops located on that street appeared as if it had been hit by an explosion. The next moment, my attention was focused on a familiar figure:Kurosaki-kun. He was in the standard Karakura High School uniform for men: straight-legged grey slacks, long grey zip-up jacket with red trimming on the pockets and zipper lining, starched white shirt underneath the jacket, and obviously out-of-place black combat boots. A white satchel with a red strip along the strap and sides of the bag hung slung over his torso, a bouquet of flowers noticeably sticking out of it on one side.

"Good morning, Kurosaki-kun," I addressed him, pleasantly surprised that he'd kept his promise after all.

My classmate, on the other hand, only looked perturbed and affixed his eyes swiftly on the roped off destruction next to us. "The news reported on an explosion somewhere else nearby in Karakura Town this morning," he remarked thoughtfully. "Why would there be one here, too?"

Within a split second, we both heard two ominous sounds in the distance toward downtown: Hanako-chan's desperate scream, and the bone-chilling wail of a yokai. Kurosaki-kun's own musings had been promptly and horrifically answered.

"OH, MY GOD! HANAKO-CHAN!!" I screamed in horror, barely noticing the startled stares around me, including Kurosaki-kun's.

Blind instinct led me to sprinting wildly in the direction of Hanako-chan and the yokai pursuing her. Kurosaki-kun followed me, matched in speed and determination, although what two humans could do to fight again a yokai was minimal at best. To that end, the closer we got to the falling debris from a skyscraper, the more we whipped by screaming, frightened people running away in the opposite direction from something they could neither see nor even begin to understand. Finally, at one corner, after a cloud of destructive smoke cleared upon one street level outer wall of the skyscraper collapsing, we slowed, at last encountering the revulsion I was expecting: a brown buglike, segmented body with black scythes for appendages and a wicked mask that oddly reminded me of the Joker's menacing face.

"Wh-what the...?" Kurosaki-kun murmured in disbelief. I stared with equal wonder at Kurosaki-kun himself. How could he have not witnessed the monstrosity of one of these yokai before?

Hanako-chan raced toward us, relief prominent in her face that she had found us. Tears slid like a leaky faucet down her flushed cheeks "Onii-san! Sumire-chan! Help me!" she shouted piteously, hands reaching out for us.

Luckily, Kurosaki-kun seemed to have snapped out of his stupor, for he tersely ordered Hanako-chan and me to do the following: "Run!"

The three of us began what in hindsight had to have been an utterly futile retreat. Encumbered by that mysterious rattling chain sticking out of her chest, Hanako-chan cried out, stumbled, and crumbled to the ground. Kurosaki-kun and I halted to help her up, coincidentally just long enough to catch the grimacing yokai's mask hover closer and closer to us, opening its mouth wider and wider, its beady eyes greedily glinting with the anticipation of consuming our feeble bodies and souls. We could do nothing but watch in terrified, glazed fascination while a black butterfly glided by.

Our salvation came in a strange package: short and petite, in fact, almost too delicate looking for the intervention she performed for us, pale skin, dark hair in a fashionable curving coif, grave blue eyes, and dressed in the distinctive garb of the kami. Launching her small body in the air, the kami slashed her sword across the mask of the yokei, which exploded in a bloody mess. The kami landed on the ground nearby in a momentary defensive stand, only to twist her body again up into the air and used her sword to slice the enraged, wounded yorei clean in half. The yorei disappeared into thin air, and next so did the kami.

& & &

Maybe the reader will condemn me, but once you find out what Kurosaki-kun was capable of in the near future of the telling of this story, I hardly doubt you would disagree with my quick decision to drag the hysterical Hanako-chan off to a safe place and leave Kurosaki-kun to his own devices after the yorei had been killed. However, that location happened to be one where it would play a large role in my own fate. I simply couldn't escape the dreadful events coming my way.

"Sumire-chan, what was that _thing_? You and Onii-san almost got killed! Why does it want me?" Hanako-chan sobbed, sniffling, leaning against the side of the small traditional looking shop I'd stopped ourselves at. The place seemed perfectly harmless enough, even if it did appear odd against the backdrop of modern high rise buildings gathered around it. The sign on top of the store proudly proclaimed itself "Urahara Shop."

"Shhhh, it's all over now. That kami saved our lives, " I comforted my cousin, desperately hoping no one from inside the shop would hear us, and then I almost laughed out loud. How could this Urahara, probably an ordinary human, be capable of picking up a yurei's tearful questioning?

Just when I though my predictions were improving, though, I was proven wrong once again. Out of nowhere, a man commented rather offishly, "What's this about a kami saving your lives?"

Taken by surprise, Hanako-chan and I whirled around to face our intruder, presumably the esteemed Urahara. The man before us had messy, light-blond colored hair and dark blue eyes shadowed by his green stripped bucket hat. The lower half of his face was hidden by positioning a small white fan directly over it. His outfit consisted of wooden geta, dark green pants with matching dark green shirt and a dark greyish-green coat, having large white diamond patterns along its bottom half. He clutched a wooden cane in his other hand.

"Please, don't be bashful. What's your name?" he further encouraged. I could detect the cunning smile behind that damned fan, which I longed to knock from his hand. Did he know the kami who saved Hanako-chan and me? But how? "As you can tell from my sign, I'm Urahara. Perhaps I can be of assistance? My shop specializes in many things."

"_He_ can see me, too?" Hanako-chan gushed, visibly improved by rather jarring development. Something in me warned me not to tangle with this mysterious shopkeeper.

"Sorry, we don't need your help," I replied flatly to Urahara. Under the no-nonsense circumstances, there was no sense in pretending my cousin wasn't visible to everyone present. "Come on, Hanako-chan."

Even Hanako-chan could discern the steel in my voice and unquestioningly obeyed my order. We quickly escaped as I felt Urahara's smile widen even further. He knew as well as I did that we weren't done dealing with each other just yet. Why, I had no idea.


	5. Chapter Four: Enlightened

**Title: My Own Story**

_**Don't watch, don't seize the lost butterfly**_

_**Go past the precious things, go past the important things**_

_**Break and destroy the key to my heart**_

_**I continue to search for my own story until the blindfold that conceals my fate is removed**_

_**I'll pierce through these clouds with my wings and go to the distant tomorrow...**_

_**Nana Mizuki, "Meikyuu Batafurai"**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Bleach_. 'Nuff said.

**Chapter Four: Enlightened**

_**I swallow my words to keep from lying**_

_**I swallow my fist just to keep from fighting. I, I...**_

_**I swallowed my breath and went deep, I was diving, diving**_

_**I surfaced and all of my being was enlightened...**_

_**Pearl Jam, "In Hiding"**_

After being nearly killed by a yokai that morning, school was naturally out of the question for me. I took Hanako-chan home with me, a bold, presumptuous move I could only contemplate ensuing something traumatic like that yokai attack. Nevertheless, I still had no idea what to do when Oba-sama would come over in the afternoon. Could I really hide my knowledge of her daughter's nearby presence? Was such a deception even be right to enact?

Another problem deeply bothered me. How much longer would Hanako-chan remain on this plain of existence before moving on to the next? The female kami I'd seen today most likely must be the key to the process. In fact, it was a matter of if, not when, the kami would find my cousin. I knew I'd have to give up Hanako-chan at that moment, but the forfeiture would be well worth the eternal peace she'd finally achieve. For now, all I could do was protect her from the predatory yokai the best I could, however ineffectual my efforts actually were.

A few hours later, during which my cousin mostly occupied herself with watching TV, loud, insistent raps could be heard from the front door. Fortunately, I was the first to notice them and not Hanako-chan, who was sitting cross legged upstairs with the TV blaring rather stridently for my taste, although I had chosen not to make an issue of the annoyance. Now I was glad to have allowed leniency in that decision. She didn't need to deal with whoever was knocking on the door.

Not astonishingly, the intruder happened to be a furrow-browed Kurosaki-kun, as I learned from peering through the peep hole on the front door. I hesitated for an instant, questioning the wisdom of answering the door, but quickly determined the situation would be far better handled if I swiftly assuaged Kurosaki-kun's concerns and then sent him away before Hanako-chan suspected anything.

"Why did you disappear so fast, Yamamoto?" my classmate instantly burst out upon catching a glimpse of my face appearing through my cracked front door.

"You can hardly blame me for removing my young cousin from a scene where something very painful occurred to her," I justified in a terse tone, watching Kurosaki-kun's eyes narrow thoughtfully as if he'd just realized something.

"So Hanako is here," he concluded softly. "Good."

"Yes, she's safe for the moment," I confirmed with just as much gentleness that Kurosaki-kun had expressed toward the loveable child who had touched both of our lives. Nonetheless, I knew it was wrong to involve him any further. Pride would not allow the exception. "Kurosaki-kun, I thank you for your kind consideration toward Hanako-chan and I, but it's not your place to worry about us."

To my surprise, Kurosaki-kun's cheeks flushed imperceptibly, and he nervously averted his eyes from mine. "Don't you even want to find out who that yurei is we saw today? She seems way different from the others I've seen before."

"I..." I began, and thought better of telling him my theory, for my postulation would only defeat my attempt to oust him from remaining in a personal situation that didn't concern him any longer.

Abruptly, a very familiar voice behind Kurosaki-kun announced her presence with the following: "Hello, Mei-san **[mei-san=niece]**. Who's your friend?"

Kurosaki-kun could've literally jumped out of his skin from startlement if it were possible, yet his reflexes were developed well enough to recover and step aside to let my aunt through. Though she was bruised, stitched, and had a sling supporting her sprained right arm, Oba-sama's green eyes held the same resolute quality to them that she'd always displayed. Because of her amazing inner strength, Oba-sama's outer appearance also reflected that fact: dressed in a crisp black and white tailored pants suit that expertly showed off her fit frame, red hair neatly clipped back, low black pumps on each foot, small black purse over one shoulder, and nails carefully manicured in a non offensive grey color.

"Oba-sama, this is Kurosaki Ichigo-san, a classmate of mine," I explained, trying not to allow the tension I felt enter my short introduction. I was especially mindful to revert back to "san" instead of the more familiar "kun" so as not to arouse any suspicions in my aunt.

"Pleased to meet you, Kurosaki-san. I am Sumire-san's aunt, Brian Cara." Despite years of working in a major Japanese corporation where western-style handshakes were emphasized, Oba-sama chose the old-fashioned route and bowed deeply to him.

"Pleased to meet you, too, Brian-san," Kurosaki-kun responded, merely inclining his head instead of bowing, a compromise that well suited his overall gruff, informal style. At that point, he paused briefly, most likely weighing his next words carefully toward my inquisitive relative. He was definitely quick to catch on the formality deception I'd needed to adopt and wondered if his ability to act falsely, in, ironically, the best interests of preserving integrity on the surface level, could be consistently relied upon. "Would you excuse me? I don't want to interrupt your time with Yamamoto-san."

"Don't you need more time to finish your business with Sumire-san?" Oba-sama inquired, an eyebrow arched questioningly.

"N-no." A minor crack in the blank mask on the onset of a slight self-conscious blush. I inwardly cringed and hoped Oba-sama hadn't noticed the slip. "It's already finished. I only needed to give a brief update about a school group project."

"Well, I must say that's easier said than done with projects done at my job," Oba-sama remarked ruefully, baring a wry grin in our direction. "Here's to hoping your end results will be satisfactory to the two of you."

"Of course," I intervened in a smooth, even tone. I couldn't bear to draw out the awkwardness any longer. "I'll see you tomorrow in class, Kurosaki-san."

"Yes, tomorrow," Kurosaki-kun repeated, emphasizing every syllable. The relief of jumping onto an opportunity to escape at last shone briefly in his eyes. "Thanks for your help, Yamamoto-san. I'll see you later."

With that, Kurosaki-kun stalked away. Both my aunt and I watched his departure until he was a distant figure almost arriving at his home down the street. Then Oba-sama turned her attention to me.

"Mei-san, I have no idea why that boy was really here, but I defer to your characteristically wise judgement to not disclose his true intentions to me," she informed me, calmly observing me as my face could not keep a slight pinkness from rushing to my cheeks.

We remained silent for an instant, eyes locked together, before we let the tense moment pass, and the slate of stiff behavior had been wiped clean of any further distraction preventing us from completing the more important task of reconnecting with each other. That goal, though, surely couldn't be accomplished by separating it from the current Hanako-chan challenge glaring at me with no clear relief in sight. I sighed, belatedly realizing that I'd have to backpedal on my original plan of deluding Oba-sama. How I naïve I was to think I could pull it off. I couldn't even convince her of the minor falsehood that Kurosaki-kun was just a classmate casually stopping by with an insignificant school-related errand.

Of course, fate interposed itself into this difficult and crucial point of revealing the ultimate secret of my life to a close family member. Before I could open my mouth to begin speaking, Oba-sama's eyes widened with open shock at something behind me, and as soon as I whipped my head to find out what she was gawking at, I already knew the answer with a sinking heart. Hanako-chan stood at the bottom of the stairs, her tiny, tragic face wearing an expression interlaced with the emotions of sorrow and loneliness that had arisen from her sudden separation from her beloved mother.

"Ojo-chan **[ojo-chan=daughter]**," Oba-sama whispered, as if unbidden. She swallowed hard, blinked back tears, and stepped forward into the house. As she did so, I once again felt a significant shift, or enlightenment, of my world as another earth shattering revelation dropped upon me like a heavy sack of potatoes: my aunt could see yurei.


	6. Chapter Five: From This Day Forward

**Title: My Own Story**

_**Don't watch, don't seize the lost butterfly**_

_**Go past the precious things, go past the important things**_

_**Break and destroy the key to my heart**_

_**I continue to search for my own story until the blindfold that conceals my fate is removed**_

_**I'll pierce through these clouds with my wings and go to the distant tomorrow...**_

_**- Nana Mizuki, "Meikyuu Batafurai"**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Bleach_. 'Nuff said.

**Author's Note:** Just wanted to let every reader out there know that I like to keep my chapters short these days just to make sure I keep writing with the craziness of school and work going on around me.

**Chapter Five: From This Day Forward**

_**With aversion, this insertion came so swiftly**_

_**Cut the cord, from this day forward**_

_**We'll be drifting**_

_**No direction, no affection**_

_**Watch the soul dive**_

_**You're dissected, resurrected**_

_**Still don't know why...**_

_**- Korn, "Hold On"**_

Oba-sama and Hanako-chan were so engrossed in the miraculous nature of their seemingly impossible reunion that they hardly noticed my presence. To be honest, I didn't feel right staying and baring witness to such a private moment. As they closed the gap between them, Oba-sama kneeling tenderly down to her daughter and wrapping her arms around Hanako-chan, who tearfully clung to her, I quietly averted my eyes and snuck away to the kitchen.

A few minutes later, while I was snacking on some onigiri, Oba-sama's heartbroken voice drifted to me from behind. "I thought Hanako-chan had already moved on to the afterlife."

I turned around to face my shaken aunt, the guilt of keeping my visits to Hanako-chan secret from Oba-sama written plainly on my features. "I'm so sorry, Oba-sama. I knew she was still here from the start. I would've told you had I been aware you could see her, too…"

The rest of my words died in my throat. What else could I say? This whole situation complicated my relationship between my aunt and me in ways I could not begin to understand or deal with.

Hanako-chan appeared in front of her mother, a small hint of a smile playing on her lips as she, to my surprise, uttered the following, which instantly removed the angst in the atmosphere: "Sumire-chan, why aren't you happy Okaa-chan **[okaa-chan=mother] **can see me? It's all I've wanted since I died. We finally get to say 'good-bye' properly."

"How kind of you to reassure your cousin, Ojo-chan," Oba-sama commended her daughter, smiling in response to the grin that had sprung to my lips. Boy, was I grateful to Hanako-chan for her great store of optimism rushing to my rescue yet again.

Nonetheless, the lightness of the moment quickly faded when I remembered the dark events of this morning. "Oba-sama, we need to talk," I proclaimed with grim determination.

& & &

As could be expected, Oba-sama reacted with great amazement upon hearing the whole of my history regarding Hanako-chan's time as a yurei, including Kurosaki-kun's recent involvement, from both Hanako-chan and me. She then scolded me for not trusting her or my parents enough to come to them with this matter. "Easier said than done" was my dull reply, and Oba-sama's motherly protective look fell flat.

"Touche, Mei-san," she conceded softly, her eyes clearly echoing empathy in my difficult situation.

"Okaa-chan, how long have you been able to see yurei?" Hanako-chan asked innocently, but Oba-sama's startled expression revealed what a loaded question her child had handed to her.

Then my aunt's features relaxed after the initial shock had ebbed, and she tenderly probed: "Do you really want me to tell you about my ability to see yurei?"

"Yes," Hanako-chan agreed enthusiastically. "I bet Sumire-chan want to hear about it, too."

At the mention of my name, Oba-sama peered at me expectantly. The motion caught me off guard since I wasn't sure in the first place if she'd actually talk about a capability that'd caused her just as much pain as I'd experienced myself. In fact, my aunt's abrupt relentment in front of her own daughter amazed me even more. I suspected, like myself, this situation had pushed Oba-sama into a corner she couldn't free herself from unless she entrusted her secret with others.

"Please, go ahead," I softly prompted my aunt.

She smiled at the encouragement and opened her mouth to begin. "Yes, I've been able to see yurei all my life."

Suddenly, she paused, studying Hanako-chan carefully. I realized that the mother in Oba-sama still had to exercise caution with her daughter present. There wasn't a need for the little girl to learn about the blunter side of yurei seeing.

"I...don't use my ability much, and no one else in the family can see yurei. However, Sumire-san, both your parents know about my power."

"Really?" I gasped out loud. Hanako-chan's hitched breath also manifested her astonishment at the unlikelihood of my stodgy parents sharing a mythological, clandestine revelation with my aunt.

Oba-sama laughed ironically, if a bit forced. "Mei-san, if only your parents knew about you. You would understand why they can be trusted with your secret. Perhaps now is the time to tell them...?"

"No!" I exclaimed in an unusually passionate voice.

A pair of faces stared at me, taken aback by my outburst. Reader, I _never_ acted with this straightforward abandonment to anyone, not even my family. For God's sake, I used polite honorifics with everyone except my little cousin, and I undoubtedly would've converted to "Hanako-san" had she lived a little longer. Surely, all of this evidence pointed to how agitated I'd grown over the short period of time I began this narrative. I wearied of the seemingly endless succession of twists on this merry-go-round of morbid fascination with death and wished to return to my regular existence.

For the millionth time, fate treated me with cruel indifference, for the merry-go-ground sped up with an even more sickly and grisly spin of events: the hungry, terrifying wail of an approaching yokai.


	7. Chapter Six: Monster at Heart

**Title: My Own Story**

_**Don't watch, don't seize the lost butterfly**_

_**Go past the precious things, go past the important things**_

_**Break and destroy the key to my heart**_

_**I continue to search for my own story until the blindfold that conceals my fate is removed**_

_**I'll pierce through these clouds with my wings and go to the distant tomorrow...**_

_**Nana Mizuki, "Meikyuu Batafurai**_

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach. 'Nuff Said._

_**Author's Note:** Never thought I'd say this since I do all writing and editing for my stories, but I'm looking for a beta for this story. This story is getting a little complicated, and I'd love to share my ideas with someone and have them smoothed out more efficiently. I already have a fellow author with whom I loosely discuss my Stars Wars and Shugo Chara! stories, but he's not really into Bleach. Please let me know if you want to help. My only firm rule: the chapters are to be about 1,000-2,000 words each, given my busy life. _

**Chapter Six: Monster At Heart**

_**It comes from the depths **_

_**Of a place unknown to the **_

_**Keeper of dreams**_

_**If it could then it would steal**_

_**The sun and the moon from the sky**_

_**Beware**_

_**Human at sight, monster at heart**_

_**Don't let it inside, it could**_

_**Tear you right apart...**_

_**Death, "Spirit Crusher"**_

At the realization of a yokai predator swiftly stalking toward Hanako-chan, its prey, panic threatened to overwhelm me. I forced it away, for the emotion would only serve to kill Oba-sama and I much faster and thus be of no use to comforting my cousin in what was most certainly her last hour of existence as a yurei. Meanwhile, my aunt's underwent the same process of gathering her own determination together and allowing her resolve to show through on her face just as mine already did. She, too, knew we both must maintain a front of dignity in the glaring surety of not only a human death but a spiritual death as a yurei once we were separated from our physical bodies.

Naturally, the already much traumatized Hanako-chan did not fair as well as her older, more seasoned relatives in regards to holding back her hysteria. "Okaa-chan, Sumire-chan, what do we do? I don't want to see you two hurt!" she wailed. My heart broke upon hearing such a plaintive entreaty, and I almost crumbled right then and there.

Behind us, a somber, authoritative mercifully spared me from such a devastating chink to the emotional armor. "Don't worry, girl. I'll rid you of that yokai and give you eternal peace afterwards."

Whirling around from our position on the couch in the living room, I recognized with considerable shock and relief the figure standing quite regally toward us. Amazed herself, Oba-sama glanced at me with an unspoken question in her eyes, to which I answered by way of a discreet whisper: "It's the kami who rescued Kurosaki-kun, Hanako-chan, and I this morning from the yokai."

"Kami-sama! Please help me save Okaa-chan and Sumire-chan! I don't want them to suffer anymore because of me!" my cousin pleaded, rushing at the bemused kami, who apparently wasn't accustomed to yurei acting so forward toward her.

The high-handed kami halted Hanako-chan's advancement on her person by thrusting forward an open palm forward at the impulsive child. "Your wish will be granted if you let me do my duty to you! Now stay out of the way!"

_THUD! CRASH!_

All but the kami jumped at the sound of the front door crashing down. Oba-sama, Hanako-chan, and I just stared at the yokai, too speechless to vocalize our intense fear. The hulking, gorrilla-like monster came swinging in, heavily leaning upon its massive forearms. It leered at us with that same greedy hunger I had noted on the other yokai the kami had already destroyed this morning.

"Get away!" the kami bellowed, drawing her katana.

Before the three of us could follow the kami's order, the yokai lashed one arm out at her, but she blocked it with ease. She then charged straight at the yokai with a huge yell. The attack did not connect. Nor did the next few swipes she thrust at her enemy. However, she was caught by surprise when the yokai swooped its tail around her back to hit the kami _hard._ The impact propelled her with enough force to smash through my living room and land on the pavement of the street in front of my house. Unfortunately, the kami didn't have a chance to retaliate because the yokai was already in front of her with its tail descending upon her again. The kami groaned as the tail's blow hit her squarely on the head. She was definitely down for the count.

Then...the yokai did something strange. Instead of finishing off the kami like I'd expected, the yokai turned directly in our direction, even though we'd moved toward the kitchen in a feeble effort to escape. The fast-approaching yokai lunged with its long arm towards me. A roar erupted from deep within its throat. Those awful red eyes glared at me so intensely that I was close to succumbing to paralysis. At a loss for anything else to do, I closed my eyes, anticipating the inevitable wallop-packed punch.

"Sumire-chan!" Hanako-chan shrieked.

"Sumire-san!" my aunt screeched simultaneously, who'd been clutching her daughter's shoulders firmly in an effort to steer her from the violent scene. Ironically, at that moment, I wasn't worried as worried about myself as I should've been. I just wished my relatives had been spared the chilling experience of witnessing me getting killed.

To my surprise, the strike from the hollow didn't particularly hurt. All I felt was a sudden bout of nausea and a heaviness in the air. It was hard to breath and difficult to move, much less move quickly. A sudden clinking noise called me back to my senses.

Upon reopening my eyes, Hanako-chan's knowing face shared my sneaking suspicion, and Oba-sama didn't seem to know how to react to this new development. "You're a yurei, Sumire-chan!" my cousin confirmed for me with a profound sadness.

Unconsciously, I grabbed at the long chain, finding the steel links cold beneath my fingers, dimly registering that it was linked to my prone physical body lying upon the living room carpet. Through the haze of my jumbled thoughts and the sudden urge to rip out the chain out of my chest, another bout of nausea tackled me. Painfully, I coughed and retched. Meanwhile, the yokai's hateful gaze wandered between my body and my soul, as if it was pausing to admire its handiwork. This subtle show of intelligence was bad. I hadn't been fully prepared to take on a yurei as powerful as this one. It wasn't as mindless or animalistic all the other yurei I'd seen. It didn't know the meaning of retreat when the kami had initially assailed it, and I couldn't very well defend myself without her help.

All of this action happened within a space of a few seconds. The yurei outstretched its arm again toward my shaking spirit form. I instinctively gasped and squeezed my eyes shut, throughly convinced it was at last the end for me. Nonetheless, reader, I wouldn't be here narrating this story if claws had really torn into my incorporeal flesh. I heard a clash of steel and a grunt in front of me, and, opening my eyes yet again, I managed to grasp a bit of relief within my mind at knowing the kami had intervened for me, even despite the nasty forehead wound she'd received from the yokai.

The kami scowled while blocking the monster's substantial claws with her slender sword. "Coward! Targeting a lowly human as your opponent in my presence!" she accused the monster, and pushed it away, severing its left hand in the process. A bright shower of blood sprayed in the air, and an angry howl of pain broiled up from the yokai. The kami whipped her head around, yelling at me, "You're not dead yet, human! You're just having an out of body experience! Run from here if you know what's good for you!"

"Are you sure?" Oba-sama demanded even as she scooped up my limp body with her one good arm, quite an impressive feat. Hanako-chan appeared to be a lot more hopeful about the situation.

"Are you deaf?" the kami asked in disbelief, dodging a reactive sidesweep from the yokai.

Without another word, we took off like a shot out through the gaping hole in the living room wall and onto the street. For me, moving was extremely painful, and I had a whole new appreciation for how Hanako-chan must've felt as a yurei. In fact, every muscle in me protested, like I was attempting to swim in a vat of thick, hot honey resolved to drown me. Notwithstanding, I sprinted for my life in every respect, both physical and spiritual. If only I could hold out until I was safe...


	8. Chapter Seven: A Second Away

**Title: My Own Story**

_**Don't watch, don't seize the lost butterfly**_

_**Go past the precious things, go past the important things**_

_**Break and destroy the key to my heart**_

_**I continue to search for my own story until the blindfold that conceals my fate is removed**_

_**I'll pierce through these clouds with my wings and go to the distant tomorrow...**_

_**Nana Mizuki, "Meikyuu Batafurai **_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Bleach_. 'Nuff said.

**Chapter Seven: A Second Away**

_**Feel there's a shadow rising **_

_**Clouds hide the sun **_

_**Something's here, you shiver **_

_**From deep inside **_

_**It will be coming your way **_

_**No escape **_

_**It's just a second away **_

_**It's too late...**_

_**- Nuclear Blast Allstars, "A Perfect Day"**_

In a tiny, distant section of my mind, I wondered if Kurosaki-kun would eventually put in an appearance. After all, his house was just down the street from my now partially destroyed one, thereby granting him front-row seats to the frantic fight of preservation for Oba-sama, Hanako-chan, and me. Naturally, as we passed his house that doubled as a family medical clinic, I spotted Kurosaki-kun staring at us in horror from the front door, his body restlessly shifting back and forth as if he wasn't sure if he should automatically dash out into the fray toward us. The reason for this hesitation could be plainly discerned by the additional presence of two equally terrified middle school age girls who must be Kurosaki-kun's sisters. I didn't blame my classmate one bit for choosing to protect his family over us. He shouldn't be sticking his neck out for strangers.

Kurosaki-kun wasn't the only spectator on the scene unfolding in the twilight of the day. We rushed by morbidly curious clusters of people gathering at a safe distance and whispering to each other in hushed voices. Sirens blared nearby, signaling the imminent arrival of emergency personnel. However, the awful roars and grunts of the kami and yurei's battle were the main sounds drifting to our ears. Such background audio reminded of the painful fact that each forced step I took could be my last. Coughing and gasping for breath, I clenched my teeth and steadily stumbled forward, the long chain connecting my spirit form to my physical body clacking noisily while I held it up to keep it off the ground. Oba-sama didn't fair too much better than me as she struggled under the weight of my body with her sprained arm.

As we rounded a corner on to a much less public side road, I snuck a look backwards just in time to witness the bloodied and bruised kami bring her katana down on the battered yokai in a final, decisive blow before it disintegrated. Simultaneously, I immediately felt aware of the cold and dark existence that was another caterpillerlike yokai just behind me, fluttering in the air on wings. My frightened eyes stared into the creature's sadistic ones, which held such a callous look to them that it was close to impossible to look away. Oba-sama and Hanako-chan had also frozen in place upon their mutual discovery of the yokai.

"My, my, what do we have here? I must say…your spiritual power is deliciously strong, girl," the yokai taunted me. The thing could talk!?! With that realization, I instinctively backed away as the yokai grinned deviously, my lips trembling in utter fear.

Still retreating, I inadvertently bumped into something hard and wrinkly: a tree. At that moment, I gritted my teeth, closing my eyes tightly as a word I had never used aloud before passed my lips: "Fuck."

"I'll tell you what, girl. If you stay still and let me eat you, I promise to make it quick and painless."

The yokai was kidding me, right? How could I trust anything this monster uttered? Thus, I knew all too well that I had to consider a plan to at least slow him down and distract him from eating someone else. Frantically, I began to search for something that would aid me in defense. After all, offense was obviously out of the question with a murderous, much more powerful yokai practically breathing down my neck. Just as the yokai positioned itself for an attack, I caught a glimpse of something. Lightly veiled under a few fallen leaves was a thick stick on the pavement. With nothing left to lose, I picked it up and brandished it in as threatening a manner as possible.

"Alright, come and get me!" I challenged.

"If you insist, girl!"

"No, don't do it!" my aunt protested as my movements jerked her forward, my body halfway falling to the ground. Hanako-chan tearfully looked on, a half-strangle sound emanating from her throat.

The overly excited monster charged with incredible speed. With instinctive reaction, I slid out of its way, managing to land a _thwack_ over its head. I watched the yokai carefully as it rubbed its head while glaring hatefully at me. Perhaps my blow did inflict some damage?

"That wasn't a very smart move on your part, girl!" the yokai snarled.

It instantaneously opened its jaw wide enough to devour my body. The proximity between us both was frighteningly close. I shoved the branch between its teeth. The creature growled, and I flinched at the sound of its sharp teeth plunging into the wood, snapping it in two. Panting and coughing violently in response to the exertion that had nearly wiped me out, I heard Oba-sama and Hanako-chan cry out my name in a way that wrenched my heart.

"I'm going to rip you to shreds, girl!" With a chilling laugh, the yokai effortlessly swung a clawed hand towards me. Despite being frightened out of my mind, I would not give my enemy the satisfaction of begging for my life. I would remain stubbornly silent as it devoured my soul...

Abruptly, a ray of blue light soared through the air and pierced the yokai's arm that was racing toward me. Howling, the yokai lost its balance and fell back before getting a second shot of blue light straight through the chest. It instantly began to evaporate into the air. Once it had completely vanished, the atmosphere became strangely tranquil.

My two relatives and I cautiously glanced to the direction from which the blue light appeared. In the silence of the street, we heard the sound of footsteps approaching the streetlight in which we were under. With the semi darkness swiftly crowding around us as night approached, at first I could only make out a silhouette that gradually turned white as it neared closer and closer to the artificial light. I tensed, certain this person was human, but it shocked me to realize that the person could kill yokai. Was he another spiritually sensitive person like Oba-sama and me?

Finally, I could distinguish individual characteristics. He had deep black hair, longish on the sides, contrasting with the white, blue striped clothing he was wearing. His skin was pale and flawless, and his white clothes seeming to glow from his dark surroundings. Behind square, rimless glasses were a pair of dark eyes full of a solemnity beyond his fifteen years, which was accompanied by an air of achievement and pride. This attitude was echoed in every movement, every lift of his chin, every glint in his eyes.

"Ishida Uryu-san!" I exclaimed in surprise. Hanako-chan and Oba-sama both breathed a heavy sigh of relief, most likely because I actually knew the newest participant in this situation. "How did you kill that yokai?"


End file.
